Call for submission – Sneaker Design Project

41 Artists + 41 Countries = 1 Sole Exhibit

Where will your imagination take you with just a Sharpie and a pair of old sneakers? Hart House and Toronto Loves Kicks want to find out!

Calling all students artists and sneaker lovers—submit your sneaker design by February 13, 2015, for a chance to have your creation displayed, as well as take part in the 1 Sole Exhibit Launch Event at University of Toronto Scarborough’s new Aquatics Facility. Sketches, or photos of completed sneakers, can be submitted!

In celebration of the 2015 Pan and Parapan Am games, Toronto Loves Kicks, Hart House and UTSC have partnered to present the 41 Artists + 41 Countries = 1 Sole Exhibit. This exhibit will give artists and ambassadors from each of the participating Pan and Parapan Am games’ countries a chance to design a pair of sneakers that pays homage to their homeland. The exhibit will have two main components:

41 Artists + 41 Countries = 1 Sole Exhibit (Display)

Artist and ambassador from their respective countries will receive one shoe from a pair of sneakers to design a one-of-a-kind creation that speaks to the country’s heritage, to be showcased at the exhibit. Sneakers created will be completed before the launch of the exhibit and brought to Hart House ahead of time.

41 Artists + 41 Countries = 1 Sole Exhibit (Launch event)

There will be a special edition of the Toronto Loves Kicks’ Sneaker Design Project to launch the 41 Artists + 41 Countries = 1 Sole Exhibit. The Sneaker Design Project will give artists and ambassadors a chance to compete in ‘live’ time to showcase their creative skills on a sneaker canvas in front of a large audience. Successful applicants will need to attend the launch where they will be required to re-create their designs using markers only on the spot in 41 minutes. Every person in the audience will have the opportunity to vote for their favourite artist/ambassador to determine the winner.

The goal of the exhibit will be to explore how everyday lifestyles have influenced sport and culture. In a celebration of this diverse global phenomenon, TLK and the University of Toronto will show how the marriage between art and athletics has become a driving force in the creation of this footwear fashion segment. The exhibit will assist in raising the 2015 Pan and Parapan Am games profile, while creatively highlighting each country’s heritage through the lens of today’s modern urban sneaker culture.